1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fraud prevention systems, and more particularly to a fraud prevention system that validates phone numbers to prevent affiliate fraud.
2. Description of the Related Art
Many web sites utilize marketing systems that rely on affiliate web sites referring customers to the web site. In exchange for the referral, the owner of the web site pays the affiliate a referral fee. Affiliate fraud consists of referring false “customers” and generating unearned referral fees.
The prior art includes many systems and methods for preventing various forms of fraud, including the following:
Hardt, U.S. 2005/0283443, teaches a secure system for secure management of identify information. Systems for identity management, such as Microsoft's PASSPORT, require exceptional security due to the confidentiality of the information contained therein. The Hardt system validates access to the system by calling a designated number and requiring entry of a PIN memorized by the user. The system does not disclose the use of a validation number provided on a computer screen for verification in response to the validation call.
Pugliese, U.S. 2004/0202293, teaches an automatic calling system which analyzes the contents of detected voice on a called line and controls the operation of the calling system dependent upon the analyzed context. For example, the system determines whether a person is answering the phone, or an answering machine, or whether a computer system is prompting entry of an extension. Upon answer detection, the called party is played one or more messages, and action is taken dependent upon analyzed responses from the called line. It is specifically noted that such a call-back system could be used for verification purposes. The system does not disclose the use of a validation number for verification in response to the validation call.
De Fabrega, U.S. 2001/0054019, teaches an e-commerce development intranet portal having a multiple-carrel public-access kiosk. The intranet provides free access to e-commerce intranet sites as well as e-mail and public service educational and informational materials. The kiosk accepts anonymous pre-paid cards issued by a local franchisee of a network of c-commerce intranets that includes the local intranet. The portal receives a cell phone number from a new user during the set-up process, and the system automatically calls this number to receive confidential information such as credit card numbers, PINS, etc.
Johnson, III et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,700,149, teaches a personal verification system for administering a course of study using a central data processor. The system checks incoming calls to confirm that they are coming from an approved number, and then calls the home number associated with that student to verify that it was the student using the system.
Other systems of general interest include Seiderman, U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,148, and Barrus et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,465,291. The above-described references are hereby incorporated by reference in full.
The prior art teaches various fraud prevention systems that include the use of PIN numbers and/or phone verification. However, the prior art does not teach a fraud prevention system for preventing affiliate fraud that includes the system disclosed in the present invention, as described and claimed below. The present invention fulfills these needs and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.